Valentine
by SomniumAngel
Summary: Wallabee Beetles could not ignore the fact the fact that tomorrow was St. Valentine's Day. Numbah Three had been gushing over the approaching holiday for almost two weeks. COMPLETE MEANS COMPLETE


Author's Note: My first St. Valentine's Day fan fiction here. Mmm… nice.

Disclaimer: Codename Kids Next Door © Tom Warburton

-X-

Wallabee Beetles could not ignore the fact the fact that tomorrow was St. Valentine's Day. Numbah Three had been gushing over the approaching holiday for almost two weeks. He felt obligated to get her some kind of gift as retribution for his Christmas folly. When he asked Numbah Five if he should, she whacked him upside the head and spent the next thirty seconds making it obvious that "he had better."

So now he was sitting in his living room flipping through television channels. He stopped when a Valentine's Day themed commercial caught his eye. It was a Kay Jewelers advert. An adult couple sits together in a restaurant booth. The man opens a small white box to reveal and ruby and diamond studded heart shaped pendant. The woman of course smiles and looks quaintly overjoyed. The commercial ends with the trademark slogan. "EVERY KISS BEGINS WITH KAY."

Wally rolled his eyes and groaned.

However, the commercial had reminded him he needed to get Kuki and gift and that he had no clue what to get. Jewelry wasn't much of an option. Their relationship didn't have the emotional capacity that required jewelry, nor did he have the money for it. Wally could buy a bronze dollar store locket, but that was too cheesy.

Wally's dad often gave his mother jewelry on romantic occasions and she was always thrilled. For their last anniversary his dad took his mom to a fancy restaurant and rented a room at a nice hotel for the night. The boy didn't know what the point of the latter was, but his mom got suspiciously fat afterwards followed by the arrival of his baby brother Joey. Wally had no use for hotel rooms and he wasn't so keen on the diner idea. He didn't want Numbah Three getting all emotional and mushy in public.

Wally remembered a cousin of his giving candy and flowers to a girlfriend once. Flowers had the annoying habit of dying and he didn't want Numbah Three to be sad when her gift eventually withered away. Candy wasn't such a good idea either. Last time he tried to give her chocolate, he ate half the box before even making it to the Treehouse. Another bust.

Numbah Four growled in frustration. He was starting to think that a two cent drug store Valentine card was just going to have to be good enough.

The sound of Mrs. Beetles' cheerful humming reached her son's ears. Much to his displeasure, Wally wandered into the kitchen where she was putting away the dishes. As per usual she was wearing her standard blue dress with matching pumps and a white apron.

He tugged on the bottom part of her dress. "Mum?"

"Hello Wallabee!" she greeted enthusiastically with a smile. "How's my big man t'day?"

Wally cringed at the nickname. "Mum, can you help me?"

"Well of course sweetie. That's why I'm here."

He tried to subdue a groan. "Just promise you won't get all mushy and cute about it." His mother just nodded with a goofy smile. Wally sighed. "See mum, there's this girl I wanna give a Valentine present to, but I don't know what to get her."

It was silent for a moment. Mrs. Beetles' lips pursed together and her eyes shimmered. "Oh Wallabee, how precious!" She moved in to give him a hug. "Aren't you just the -"

"Mum!" Wally stepped back. "You promised!"

His mother stopped and composed herself. "You're right, son. I'm sorry."

"Augh, forget it." Numbah Four waved in disapproval as he walked away from his mother. "This is stupid."

"Wallabee, love isn't stupid."

"I never said I loved her mum!"

"You're right, but liking someone is just as important. There's nothing stupid about it." It was all Mrs. Beetles could do to look at her young son without getting all weepy and exclaiming how adorable the whole thing really was. He watched her with wary eyes as she smiled at him. "Come on, son, let's talk about it."

With yet another groan Wally returned to his mom's side. He stood there scowling at her shins.

"Does she know you like her?"

"I guess."

"What's her name?"

"Mum…"

"All right, all right, I understand. Well, how about a nice bracelet?"

"Too cheesy."

"Your dad and I can give you some money to take her to dinner."

"She isn't good in public."

"Flowers?"

"Stupid flowers die."

"Candy?"

"Tried that before."

Now Mrs. Beetles had to think. Her son exhausted most of the obvious options. He certainly wasn't making this easy. However, as a loving mother she wasn't about to let her child down when he needed her. "All right then," she finally said. "What does she like?"

"Rainbow Monkeys."

It was an easy question to answer.

"Right-o then! I'll swing by the toy store when I'm done with this and pick something out. How does that sound?"

"Um… I wanna pick one."

Mrs. Beetles was unusually quiet. It was hard to tell what she was thinking and it made Wally nervous. "But son, I thought you hated Rainbow Monkeys?"

It was true. Numbah Four detested the neon plushies with a passion, but he had endured them many times before. For the sake of Numbah Three's happiness, the boy had been to Rainbow Monkey movies, amusement parks, conventions, watched them on television, played the video game, and even had tea parties with the toys. So, if making Kuki happy on Valentine's Day meant going to the store to buy one of the abominations, Wally was willing to do so.

"Well, yeah mum, I do, but… You know…"

His mother merely smiled. "Get your coat and I'll meet you at the car."

Upon walking into the toy store Numbah Four felt like vomiting. At the front of the store was a giant Valentine's Day themed display of Rainbow Monkeys. The theme song played through speakers set up around the area and there were obnoxious red and pink hearts everywhere.

"Well isn't this convenient?" his mother chirped.

Wally just rolled his eyes.

"All right son, go take a look and find one that you like."

At first Wally didn't move, but then a gentle push from his mother got him going. He detestably approached the display trying to ignore the theme song echoing from a nearby speaker. The boy started at one end and strolled in the direction of the other.

There were cupid style monkeys. There monkeys in varying shades of red and pink. There were white monkeys with pink heart patterns. There were monkeys that said 'love phrases' when you hugged them. There were monkeys holding fabric flowers and monkeys holding plastic candy boxes.

About three-quarters of the way down Wally stopped. There on the shelf sat pairs of Rainbow Monkeys stuck together. He picked up a set. "Hey mum, come look at this." The stuffed toys had magnets in the paws so that they were able to hold hands. Upon further exploration Wally discovered that the muzzles also contained magnets, and once close enough together the monkeys pulled together in a kiss.

"Isn't that precious," his mother exclaimed. "Is that the one you want Wallabee?"

He looked back up at the display. The monkeys were paired in different colors, some pink and blue, white and pink, yellow and purple, blue and orange, pink and green, and so on. Then his eyes fell on an orange and green pair. Wally pulled it off the shelf and looked at them. Suddenly the monkeys' muzzles came together.

Wally's nose turned a soft shade of pink and without even realizing it, he smiled.

"This is the one I want."


End file.
